Queen Mum

by Kate Long

Ally has everything she ever wanted: a husband, a child, a lovely house in a pretty neighbourhood. Her glamorous, dynamic next-door neighbour, Juno, is also her best friend. But Juno has made a surprising decision; she has signed up for Queen Mum, a reality-TV show. For two weeks, she will live with another family in another town, while her opposite number will be moving in next door to Ally.

Juno is excited about the prospect of seeing life from a different perspective. Ally is nervous. She doesn't like change, and knows from bitter experience how something precious can be lost in a moment.

Kate Long's new novel, written with her customary wit, empathy and incisiveness, is about friendship and love, recklessness and caution and about how the camera, while it sometimes lies, can also reveal uncomfortable truths.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Hello! And welcome to my GoodReads author page.

New: Pinterest boards!
https://www.pinterest.com/volewriter/... - For my new novel, Something Only We Know

http://pinterest.com/volewriter/bank-... See where Charlotte, Karen and Nan actually live!

and my Bad Mothers Facebook page, with lots of background info on the characters and filming: http://www.facebook.com/BadMothersUnited


I write bittersweet novels about family drama and personal crises, especially stories involving the relationship between mothers and daughters.

I like my books to ask questions such as, What makes a parent good or bad? In what way does a family's history shape its present? How can we make the best of the hand which life has dealt us?

My characters tend to have 'ordinary' backgrounds - but actually I think no one is truly ordinary. We all have amazing tales to tell of risk and loss, survival and disaster and triumph, on whatever scale. The most intense dramas are often played out across a domestic stage, with unexpected discoveries and revelations, patterns repeated or shattered forever, bonds broken and new alliances formed.

I've found myself as a reader that meeting such issues in fiction can help me make sense of the real world around me.

Recurring themes in my books include adoption, pregnancy/fertility issues, mental health, sexuality, disability, infidelity and the breaking of family secrets. I also tend to set the action in a specific place around Lancashire, Cheshire or Shropshire.

Reviews

[Jess The Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story follows the lives of Ally and her next door neighbour, Juno. Juno, the seemingly perfect housewife, decides to enter a reality show called 'Queen Mum', which is essentially the same as the show 'Wife Swap', where Juno will swap houses with another mom for two weeks.

The story is told from Ally's point of view, and so we see Juno's side of the story from a distance, through Ally's eyes and the tv cameras. While Juno is away, Ally must do without her best friend, and is forced to deal with her issues alone.

When Juno returns, Ally realises that she isn't as perfect as she seems, and that she's also dealing with issues, which she just happens to cover up better.

This is easy to read chick-lit and I would recommend it as light holiday reading.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book in Budapest after I finished the book that I had brought with me...I went to the bookstore and asked for a book by a Hungarian author translated into English...they looked at me as if I was crazy...so, no such luck for some reason...so, I went exploring in the English books section and found this book...for some reason, it too me a long time to find something that I thought I would enjoy (on my nine and a half hour plane ride the next day)...I thought this book was going to be all light...but it surprised me...the story was fun but also interesting...and I definitely connected with the characters...I'm going to have to find another book by this author...

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read. Kate has taken the idea of a frivolous TV show and combined it with believable characters to drag you into a story of how relationships fare under duress. This is a book that you will not want to put down.

[Kelly Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A very funny, witty insight to what happens between best friends when one becomes a minor celebrity due to being on a tv show called "Queen Mum".

[Cata Carballo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juno, una madre inglesa de clase media, está casada con Manny y tiene dos adolescentes. Su familia cree en cosas como comer de manera orgánica, celebrar las artes y la cultura y llevar una vida estructurada. Juno está a punto de cambiar las cosas al convertirse en una concursante de Queen Mum, un reality show de televisión en el que dos madres con diferentes estilos de vida cambian de lugar durante dos semanas con un ganador declarado al final.

La historia está contada desde el punto de vista de Ally, la mejor amiga y vecina de Juno. Ally vive con su esposo Tom y su hijo Ben. Su familia sufrió muchísimo por una tragedia y Ally se pregunta cómo se las arreglará sin Juno durante dos semanas completas.

La decisión de ir a Queen Mum revelará algunas cosas sobre ambas familias, cambiándolas drásticamente.



Muy fácil de leer, bastante ligero, aunque no lo parezca. Es muy interesante ver cómo un programa de televisión cambio a ambas familias de una forma drástica, y el cambio de personalidad en cuanto a los personajes. Esta bien escrita, pero en un momento se vuelve MUY ABURRIDO ya que no pasa nada interesante. Está dirigido a un público más bien adolescente

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read & enjoyed other books by Kate Long, I was pretty sure I'd like this one - & I wasn't disappointed!

This tale focuses on Ally, & her friend & neighbour Juno who signs herself up for the TV Show Queen Mum (Wife Swap with voting!)

The blurb says it all..."written with wit, empathy and incisiveness, is about friendship and love, recklessness and caution" & "about how the camera, while it sometimes lies, can also reveal uncomfortable truths." ...which is illustrated by the "clips" from the show, a touch I particularly liked. Ally's family also suffered a huge & tragic loss, & the way they deal with it individually, plus the usual trials & tribulations of teenage life make this is more than a standard chick-lit book about friends & neighbours.

[Lightblue]

Il libro era partito bene, facendomi riflettere parecchio su come diamo tante cose quotidiane per scontate e poi è carino il fatto che si basi su un reality (di fatto è una cosa che non seguo in tv, ma l'avevo trovata un'idea originale). Peccato che sia uno di quei libri senza fine, ovvero, lascia tanti punti in sospeso e a me i libri cosi mi lasciano sempre un po' perplessa

[Hel Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all Kate Long's books, I really enjoyed this, despite the chicklit label. I think, unlike most chicklit, her characters are realistic and complex as are the situations they end up in.

[Kazimiera pendrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a great read it was quite fun to read a book that i really enjoyed

[Tiina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first person in this story had a strange view on things, and it was difficult to follow how unfair "reality" was in the television series. The story was kind of sad as well, with very few, if any, pleasant characters.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro simpatico, leggero.. Niente di che in realtà.. Forse forse fa solo pensare che credere troppo di essere nel giusto non aiuta a vedere le cose nella giusta prospettiva, e nemmeno a metterci in gioco specialmente nel ruolo di genitore..

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had some heart-breakingly sad bits, but it was heart-warming too.

[Jacqueline Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting novel. Very appropriate for the times we live in. This book does make you think about what is important in life! 8 out of 10. I enjoyed !

[Lia Sheriff · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was no conclusion. That is all

[Hanis Zulkefley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun to read.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read not much depth

[Carol Stanley-Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not truly enjoy this story. First, i didn't get all the British words/sayings. Second, it jumped around too much. I did finish it because I must finish a read....good, bad, indifferent.

[Vicki Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read bur very dark and disturbing in places.

[allother · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, I didn't know where it was going. Neither did Kate Long. It went No Where. Too many unresolved plot lines.

Very disappointing!

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting! The cover and description makes this seem like a light comedy; I was expecting something along the lines of Shopaholic. Well this wasn't light or comedic.

While the premise is a woman going on a wife-swap show, the actual story is more about her best friend, Ally. Ally is trying to deal with the twists and turns, and tragedy, that life has thrown at her. She is struggling with her own identity and with where her life is. She compared herself to her neighbour and best friend, whom she sees as perfect. But the show, "Queen Mum", brings with it an opportunity for Ally to see things more as they are.

The book wasn't boring, but it wasn't incredibly exciting either. I found the ending much more engaging than the rest of the book. Not a great read but not a bad one either, just okay.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I was expecting at all. Juno signs up for a reality tv show. Her husband gets on well with the 'swap' wife- and her teenage daughters enjoy the freedom. Juno doesn't make such a positive impression on her swap family. The book follows the aftermath of the programmes and the chinks it shows in relationships.

[Desna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book as I have read two of her other books which I really enjoyed. I was very disappointed with this book. Not as good as the others. I was skimming through some pages and was not interested in whether I finished it or not. Come on Kate, do better than this next time!!

[Patti Villegas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what i expected. Based on the cover I thought it would be fluffy chick lit (i.e. perfect vacay reading when you're living on a boat!). Instead it was serious and slightly depressing, but in a good way if that makes any sense...

[Sarah-Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this just felt like a bit of a mess. None of the characters were that pleasant and it was hard to care too much about any of them. It was a quick read and ok for passing a few quiet lunchtimes but not very satisfying.

[Lisa Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of Queen Mum, the fly-on-the wall reality tv show really appealed to me but I feel like something was lacking here and certain themes could have been taken further. I did really enjoy it though for a light read.

[Marwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical time-wasting chick lit

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up to take to the beach, and it really surprised me. It was a lot deeper than I expected, and I ended up really enjoying it!

[Vicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

No way near as good as her others. Couldn't be bothered to finish it and that is very unusual for me!!

[Mai-ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like it as much as any of her others. I found one of the characters unlikeable and the main character annoying for not being able to see her faults.

[Carla Baechtle]

A enjoyable read. A bit easy, but it went deeper than just a surface chick lit. Book.